Shaving apparatus



y 3 938. F. E. MosK ovlcs ET AL 2, 9,021

SHAVING APPARATUS .Filed Jan. 15, 1938 .111 Ill Tittle/14f E 140.?(ll/12's BY alorfif flkrams very small effective shearing zone.

Patented May 31, 1938 PATENT ()FFICE 2,119,021 SHAVING APPARATUSFrederick E. Moskovics, Greenwich, Court, and Victor B. Abrams,Maplewood, J.

Application January 15, 1938, Serial No. 185,108

7- Claims.

This invention relates to shaving devices and has, particular referenceto the class of shaving devices kno 'n as latherless or dry shavingdevices.

Dry shaving devices generally are provided with an apertured outerskin-engaging shear plate of comparatively small size and have a Thissmall shearing zone enables the severance of only a small amount of hairduring a movement over the skin and consequently an extended length oftime is required to obtain a complete and smooth shave. Also, the teethof the cooperating inner cutter are of such relatively large sizecompared to the outer shear plate hair receiving apertures that thelatter are blocked by the inner cutter during a large proportion of theshaving time so that the shaving time is further "increased.

Also, those hairs that are engaged by the outer shear plate when thecorresponding apertures are so blocked are not sheared, which necessi-vtates repeated applicationoi the device to the same area of the skin to.shear all of the hairs. Furthermore, since the movement of the innercutter is relatively slow, particularly with the reciprocating cutter.type, the blades or teeth must be maintained sharp in order to provide asmooth shave without pullingr An objectof this invention istoF'EiprQ'Yide -a dry shaving device-which hasa greatly-increasedefiective shaving area, whereby the total shaving time is'materiallydecreased.

Another object oithe invention is "to provide fadryj, shaving deviceinwhich the, inner cutter lades are of a small area as compared to thetotal efl'ectivearea of the outer shear plate wherebyitlie tendency ofthe inner cutter blades to block entry of the hair into the shaving zoneis materially reduced.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dry shaving device inwhich the severance of the hairs is efiectedby impact between theshearing edges of the shear plate and the inner cutter, wherebyeffective shaving is obtained without the necessity of especially sharpshearing edges and withoutcausing pulling for that reason.

vAnother object of the invention is to provide a rotary type or dryshaving device in which the inner cutter is applied into intimateshearing I engagement with the shear plate at least partially bycentrifugal force, whereby a clean severance of the hairs is insured.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dry shaving device whichis instantaneously self-clearing of severedhairs by reason of theconstruction and mode of operation of the inner cutter, whereby shaking,tapping, or blowing of the device to dislodge the severed hairs.becomesunnecessary.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dry shaving device inwhich the skin contacting shear plate and inner cutter are bodilyrelatively movable, whereby the hairs between the shear plate aperturesare sought and severed and an improved shearing action due to theirrelative movement is effected.

An additional .object of the invention is to provide a dry shavingdevice having an improved type of skin contacting shear plate which ischaracterized by extreme thinness and which is so shaped and sosupported as to provide great rigidity,

'lfhese objects of the invention have been attained by the provision ofa dry shaving device having a generally dome-shaped or convexskincontacting shear plate pierced by a plurality of apertures ofselected shape disposed in relatively closely-spaced relation oversubstantially its entire area, the under surface of this shear platebeing intimately engaged by an inner cutter having one or more shearingedges thereon which are rotated about an axis perpendicular to oraxially disposed with respect to the dome-shaped shear plate. Adome-shaped and substantially circular shear plate has the materialadvantage that it can be of substantially any desired thinness and areawithin practical limits and, because of its curvature is far more rigid,even p when extremely thin, than a shear plate of flat or cylindricalform and of the same thickness, as well as having the property ofstretching the skin and conforming to the contours of the face becauseof its curvature.

In the preferred form of the device the domeshaped shear plate isprovided with a great number of hair-receiving apertures which may bedistributed uniformly or non-uniformly throughout its area and have anydesired shape, said apertures being of suiiicient size to allow passageof hairs and the edges of the apertures act as individual shearing edgescooperating with the rotary inner cutter shearing edges to sever thehairs close to the-skin.

The rotary inner cutter may have, as indicated above, one or moreshearing edges, preferably provided by two or four blades which aredisposed normally to the inner surface of the dome-shaped shear plate.The blades may be spring-pressed as a group against the underside of thedome-shaped shear plate, and/or they may -.required to cut the hair.operating characteristics will become. apparent upon examination of theaccompanying drawing-. 1

be individually supported in inclined grooves so arranged in a rotarysupporting structure that the centrifugal force of rotation will forcethemintimately against the under surface of the shear plate. The bladesare preferably individually narrow, whereby they will only block acomparatively small proportion of the total area of the shear plateapertures. a

The inner cutter is preferably rotated at a relatively high speed andprovided with substantial mass so that it acts as a flywheelinoperation. and has considerable momentum and consequently its edgescooperate with the outer cutter to sever the hairs by an impact shearaction which insures clean severance of the hairs without requiringespecially sharp shearing edges. This flywheel effect also smoothes theoperation of the driving motor. Preferably, the body of the inner cutterat points between its blades is spaced closely to the underside of theshear plate, so that in the event of flexing of an extremely thin shearplate, the inner cutter body supports it against deformation.

The rotation of the inner cutter also immediately ejects the severedhairs outwardly and away from between the shear plate and the innercutter body by centrifugal action, thereby rendering the deviceself-clearing. The rotation of the inner cutter also may be utilized,through suitable eccentric connections, to cause the skin-contactingshear plate to gyrate, thereby working the plate over the facemechanically inaddition to themane ual manipulation of the device andfacilitatingen try of the hairs into the apertures. The gyratory motionof the shear plate and the rotary movement of the inner cutter alsoproduce'an im-'-- in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a I ment of a dry shaving device of thepresent invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof;

' Fig. 3 is an enlarged end view of the razor with the skin contactingshear plate removed showing thearrangement of the inner cutter;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view in vertical section of the head of the deviceof Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an end view, shown partly in section and partly broken away,of a modified form of a dry shaving device embodying the presentinvention;

Fig. 6 is an axial section, as seen along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; I

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one form of rotary inner-cutter; I

Fig. 8 is an axialsection through a modified form of shear plate androtary inner cutter assembly; and 1 Fig. 9 is an axial section throughanother form of shear plate and rotary inner cutter assembly.

A dry shaving razor illustrated in Figure 1 consists of a handle Illcontaining an electric motor of known type and having mounted at one endthereof a shearing orshaving head I2, which consists of a tubular shellll attached by means of a screw IE or other suitable means, to the endof the handle l0. As best shown in Fig. 4, the shell I4 is provided witha threaded portion 48 at its upper end upon which may be screwed anOther structural preferred embodiannular cap member or ring 20 having athi inwardly-projecting flange 22 at its upper end.

Secured to the ring 20 beneathits flange 22 is a dome-shaped shear plate24, preferably of spherical curvature having a radius on the order ofabout two inches. This shear plate 24 is provided with a plurality ofapertures 28 which may vary in size and shape, depending upon re-'-quirementa'but principally such that a hair may enter and assume anerect position without allowing the skin to enter sufllciently to beabraded by the inner cutter. For example, in-an extremely thin plate, onthe order of a few thousandths of an inch, the diameter or greatestwidth of the apertures 26' may be about .025 of an inch, and arepreferably-wound, as shown, although they may be square holes, straightor curved slots radially or otherwise arranged, and the like, asillustrated in Fig.5. Apertures as much as .035 of an inch in greatestwidth or diameter have been found effective. Despite the extremethinness of the plate 24, which allows a close shave to be had, theplate is very rigid, the curvature of the plate 24 causing it to resistdistortion and maintain its normal dome-shape.

Positioned beneath the shear plate 24 is an inner cutter 21 whichpreferably consists of a relatively massive body 28 secured on the.upper end of the motor shaft 28, so as to act as a; flywheel when themotor is rotating. As best shown in Fig. 3, the outer face of the innercutter body '28 is provided with spaced radial slots 20. Although foursuch slots are shown, a greater or fewer number may be provided, if sodesired. The slots 30 are preferably'saw-cut or milled diametricallywith outwardly-tapering bottoms. Mounted in the slots 30 of the innercutter body are generally wedge-shaped shearing blades 34 which are bestshown in Fig. 4. The blades 34 are made of relatively thin hardenedsteel and are each provided with a curved upper edge 38. preferablyground flat so as to have sharp edges, and conformlngto the interiorcurvature of the shear plate 24. The shape of the lower edge 38 of theblade is such as to provide a fulcrum point at 38', so that the blademay" tilt about that point as welias'slide up the incline at the outerend of the corresponding slot 30.

As shown' in Fig.3, the inner cutter body 28 is preferably provided withbores or recesses lll beneath and intersecting the slots 30 and in thesebores 40 are light coil-J springs 42 which bear against the lower edges'38 of the blades 3| and normally urge their upper edges 36 intointimate engagement with the under surface of thesh'ear plate 24. Duringoperation of the device, the centrifugal force of rotation of the innercutter 21 tends to urge the blades 34 radially outwardly, and because ofthe curvature of the bottom of the slots 10 this centrifugal urge tendsto force the blades 34 more intimately into shearing engagement withtheunder surface of the shear plate 24. Thus, if desired the springs 40may be omitted or retained merely to perform a holding function toprevent looseness or rattling when the device is not in use.

The blades 3| are maintained in spaced relationship to each other byengagement at their inner ends with a disc 44 which is removablydisposed in a depression or recess 46 in the upper center of the innercutter body 28. The

point is at the center, it is supported during material flexing, in caseof abnormal shaving pressure, by the disc and thus deformation or'distortion of the shear plate is prevented. Likewise, in order; toprovide support tor the remainder of the shear plate 24 during abnormalshaving pressure, radial ribs 45 may be provided on the 'inner cutterbody 28 between the blades 34, the upper surfaces of these ribs beingspaced only a few thousandths of an inch from the undersurface of theshear plate 24, so as to be normally disengaged therefrom.

The inner cutter body 28 is of somewhat small- ,er diameter than theinternal diameter of the pletely out of the device because of the space48 between shell I4 and the flat opposite walls oi the handle II, asshown in Fig. 4.

In operation of the shaving device shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, themotor is set into operation and rotates the inner cutter 21 with itsblades 34 wiping the under surface of the shear plate.24, this wipingaction being insured not 45. Also, by reason oi the flywheelactipn-gfith only by the springs 40, but also and principally by thecentrifugal effect of the blades, which are cammed upwardly against theshearplate by the curved bottom slots 30 in which they rest. Theflywheel effect oi the relatively massive body 28 causes the hairsprojected through the shear plate aperture 26 to be cleanly and quicklysevered by the impact shear action of the blades 34 coacting with theedges of the shear plate apertures 26.

Because the shear plate 24 is large in area and its apertures aresubstantially always uncovered by the small. area inner cutter blades,the hair shearing action is continuous so that a rapid shave may beeffected. Also, by reason of its shape, a very thin shear plate may bepro-- vided to effect a close shave and if there-is' a tendency to flex,the shear plateis'i'mmediate supported by the inner cutter disc 44 andrib motor operates more smoothly and high speed is obtainable withoutpulling of the hairs or injury to the skin.

Figs. and 6 disclose another form of the invention, which includes atubular shell 50 similai-"to shell l4 and attached to the upper end ofthe motor-containing handle 52 of the device. The shell 50 is providedwith an upper threaded portion 54 which receives a ring 56 having aninwardly directed flange iitthereon. Splined for axial movement on theupper end of the motor shaft 60 is a cutter 6| consisting of. a collar02 from which project radially two thin shearing blades 64'as shown inFig. '7. The number of blades carried by the collar may be varied asdesired. A spring 66 encircles the'motor shaft 50 and bears against awasher 68 which. engages the lower end of the collar 62 and urges itaxially of the shaft. The upper edges of the shearing blades 64 of thecutter 6| bear against the under side of a dome-shaped shear plate,which is slidably mounted beneath the flange 58 on the collar 55. Thecenter oi. the shear plate III is provided with a downwardly projectingsocket 12 which receives a pin 14 mounted eccentrically on the end ofthe motor shaft 60.

During operation of the device shown in Figs.

"and the apertures in the shear plate.

5, 8 and 7, the motor directly drives the shearing blades 54 about theaxis of the shaft I0 and the eccentric pin 14 causes the outer shearplate to gyrate within the flange 58. The spring 80; maintains theblades 84 in proper shearing relation to and at proper shaving pressureagainst the under surface of the outer shear plate Ill, wherebyefiective shearing action may be obtained.

Fig. 8 discloses another form of gyrating shear plate and rotary innercutter assembly, in which A an outer shear plate at, similar to theplate disclosed in Figs. 5 and 6, cooperates with a flywheel type innercutter 8| similar to that disclosed in Figs. 3 and 4. The shear plate 80is provided with a hearing or socket "which receives a pin .4

mounted eccentrically ina depression in the center of, the flywheel 86for efiecting the gyratory movement of the shear plate. The flywheel 86is provided with a plurality of substantially'wedgeshaped blades 88which are urged by centrifugal force and by springs 90 into intimateengagement with the under surface of the shear plate. The blades 88 maybe maintained in proper spaced relation by a projecting lug 85 formed onthe flywheel 85 and which engages the inner edges of each blade. 1

Fig. 9 discloses another arrangement for-gyrating the shear plate. Inthis form of the invention, the shear plate Hill is provided with adownwardly-projecting, rotatably mounted ball II! which is received inan eccentrically-located recess H14 in the rotary shearing blade I06.

In the forms of dry shaving devices illustrated in Figs. 5 to 9,inclusive, the gyratory action of the shear plate not only effects adraw out between the rotating inner cutter blades and the shear plateapertures, but it enables the apertures in the shear plate to hunt theshort hairs and thus provides a smooth shave without requiring excessivemanual scrubbing movement of the shaving head. Also, the constantmovement of the shear plate prevents abrasion of the same skin area. by

. cases wherethe device is held too long in ,one place with unduepressure causing the skin to be ressed into the shear plate apertures.No cuting takes place between the edge of the flange 54 In otherrespects the operation of the gyratory shear plate form of the inventionis like the flxed shear plate form illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4inclusive.

It will be seen that the present invention pro- 2 vides a veryeffective, simple-and inexpensive dry 1 shaving device, which has manyadvantages over those in current use. While certain preferredembodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described herein,it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereby, but issusceptible of changes in form and detail within the scope of theappended claims.

We claim:

1. In a shaving device, the combination of a thin, apertured, convex,skin-contacting shear plate, an inner cutter having at least oneshearing edge engaging the concave under surface of the shear plate,means for rotating the cutter about an axis substantially normal to thesurface of the shear plate, and means responsive to rotation of saidcutter for urging the shearing edge thereof transversely andlongitudinally of the axis into intimate wiping contact with the concavethe skin to be shaved with the axisof the cutter directed endwisetowardthe skin.

25111 a shaving. device, the combination of a supporting member a thin,apertured, skin-contacting shear plate engaging said supporting memberat its periphery, an inner cutter memher having at least one shearingedge engaging the under surface of said shear plate, means for rotatingsaid cutter member about an axis substantially normal to the surface ofthe shear plate to wipe the shearing edge overisaid under surface of theshear plate to sever the hairs projected therethrough', a dc esse'd'portion on the cutter memberv adjacent the shearing edge thereofproviding a hair-receiving cavity under g sever hairs projected throughthe apertures in )said shear plate said means comprising a shaft theshear plate the periphery of the cutter member being spaced from theperiphery of the supporting member to provide a space for receivingsevered hair.

3'. In a shaving device, the combination of a supporting member a thin,apertured, skin-contacting shear plate engaging said supporting memberat its periphery, an inner cutter member having at least one shearingedge engaging the under surface of said shear plate, means for rotatingsaid cutter member aboutan axis substantially normal to the surface ofthe shear plate .to wipe the shearing edge over said under surface ofthe shear plateto sever the hairs projected therethrough, and a radiallyextending depression in the cutter member adjacent the shearing edgethereof for receiving the cut hairs for ejection radially by thecentrifugal force of rotation of the cutter the periphery of the cuttermember being spaced from the periphery of the supporting member toprovide a space for receiving severed hair.

4. In a shaving device, the combination ofathin, flexible, apertured,convex skin-contacting shear plate, an inner cutter having at least one.shearing edge engaging the under surface of said shear plate, means forrotating said cutter about an axis substantially normal to the shearplate to wipe the shearing edge over said under surface of the shearplate to sever the hairs projected and means associated with said.

cutter inaxially fixed relation with respect to and engageable with saidshear plate to afford support for the latter during flexing, said cutterhaving substantial mass in the form of a fly and means eccentric to theshaft for gyrating the I shear plate.

6. In a shaving device, the combination of a handle, a thin, apertured,convex skin-contacting shear plate mounted on said handle, a rotatablemember adjacent the concave under surface of said plate, said memberhaving at least one substantially radial slot having a. bottom inclinedaxially outwardly, an axially-tapered bla'de movably mounted in saidslot, and means for rotating said'member, whereby the blade is movedradially in said slot by centrifugal force and is urged against saidplate by the cam action of the inclined bottom of the blade slot.

' 7. In a shaving device, the combination of a handle, a thin,apertured, skin-contacting shear plate mounted on said handle, a memberadjacent the under surface of said plate and rotatable about an axissubstantially normal thereto, a substantially radial guide on saidmember, a blade movably mounted in said guide, means forrotatingsaidjmember, and cooperating means on the blade and memberresponsive to the rotation 1 of the member for moving the blade in theguide transversely and longitudinally of the axis against thesaid undersurface of the plate.

FREDERICK E. MOSKOVICS. VICTOR R. ABRAMS.

.DlSCLA I ME R 2,119,021.Fredefick E. Moskovics, Greeniiviich, Conn, andVictor R. Abrams,

Maplewood, N. J. SHAVING APPARATUS.

Patent dated May 31,- 1938;

U. Andrews, and Victor R. Abrams, co-inventor.

enter this'disclaimerto claim 5 insaidLetters Patent.

Hereb ficial Gazette June 11, 1940.]

- the skin to be shaved with the axisof the cutter directedendwisetoward the skin.

25111 a shaving. device, the combination of a supporting member a thin,apertured, skin-contacting shear plate engaging said supporting memberat its periphery, an inner cutter memher having at least one shearingedge engaging the under surface of said shear plate, means for rotatingsaid cutter member about an axis substantially normal to the surface ofthe shear plate to wipe the shearing edge overisaid under surface of theshear plate to sever the hairs projected therethrough', a dc esse'd'portion on the cutter memberv adjacent the shearing edge thereofproviding a hair-receiving cavity under g sever hairs projected throughthe apertures in )said shear plate said means comprising a shaft theshear plate the periphery of the cutter member being spaced from theperiphery of the supporting member to provide a space for receivingsevered hair.

3'. In a shaving device, the combination of a supporting member a thin,apertured, skin-contacting shear plate engaging said supporting memberat its periphery, an inner cutter member having at least one shearingedge engaging the under surface of said shear plate, means for rotatingsaid cutter member aboutan axis substantially normal to the surface ofthe shear plate .to wipe the shearing edge over said under surface ofthe shear plateto sever the hairs projected therethrough, and a radiallyextending depression in the cutter member adjacent the shearing edgethereof for receiving the cut hairs for ejection radially by thecentrifugal force of rotation of the cutter the periphery of the cuttermember being spaced from the periphery of the supporting member toprovide a space for receiving severed hair.

4. In a shaving device, the combination ofathin, flexible, apertured,convex skin-contacting shear plate, an inner cutter having at least one.shearing edge engaging the under surface of said shear plate, means forrotating said cutter about an axis substantially normal to the shearplate to wipe the shearing edge over said under surface of the shearplate to sever the hairs projected and means associated with said.

cutter inaxially fixed relation with respect to and engageable with saidshear plate to afford support for the latter during flexing, said cutterhaving substantial mass in the form of a fly and means eccentric to theshaft for gyrating the I shear plate.

6. In a shaving device, the combination of a handle, a thin, apertured,convex skin-contacting shear plate mounted on said handle, a rotatablemember adjacent the concave under surface of said plate, said memberhaving at least one substantially radial slot having a. bottom inclinedaxially outwardly, an axially-tapered bla'de movably mounted in saidslot, and means for rotating said'member, whereby the blade is movedradially in said slot by centrifugal force and is urged against saidplate by the cam action of the inclined bottom of the blade slot.

' 7. In a shaving device, the combination of a handle, a thin,apertured, skin-contacting shear plate mounted on said handle, a memberadjacent the under surface of said plate and rotatable about an axissubstantially normal thereto, a substantially radial guide on saidmember, a blade movably mounted in said guide, means forrotatingsaidjmember, and cooperating means on the blade and memberresponsive to the rotation 1 of the member for moving the blade in theguide transversely and longitudinally of the axis against thesaid undersurface of the plate.

FREDERICK E. MOSKOVICS. VICTOR R. ABRAMS.

.DlSCLA I ME R 2,119,021.Fredefick E. Moskovics, Greeniiviich, Conn, andVictor R. Abrams,

Maplewood, N. J. SHAVING APPARATUS.

Patent dated May 31,- 1938;

U. Andrews, and Victor R. Abrams, co-inventor.

enter this'disclaimerto claim 5 insaidLetters Patent.

Hereb ficial Gazette June 11, 1940.]

